


You are the only one

by WorstSageEver



Series: NO PRISONERS [2]
Category: VALORANT (Video Game)
Genre: AU - (formerly) Kingdom Reyna, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Kidnapping, No Prisoners sequel, REYGE, Stockholm Syndrome, lol, reyna is softer than she lets on, reyna is still a CREEP but less so lmao, sage and reyna hard simping for each other, sage went full blown stockholm syndrome oops, sorry i wrote this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29838855
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorstSageEver/pseuds/WorstSageEver
Summary: The sequel to ‘No prisoners. Well, maybe one…’With Sage having resurrected Reyna, the latter has successfully faked her death and evaded Kingdom’s dictatorial clutches.The two wish they could spend the rest of their lives together in peace, hidden away in their own beautiful corner of the world, but a series of problems larger than them arise and threaten the tranquility they so cherish.
Relationships: Reyna/Sage (VALORANT)
Series: NO PRISONERS [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2193630
Comments: 13
Kudos: 24





	1. I don't know if I can be alone again

**Author's Note:**

> Fic title is taken from The Head and the Heart’s ‘Honeybee’ (courtesy of mellowqueen)
> 
> Chapter title is taken from The Weeknd’s ‘Alone Again’
> 
> sorry i wrote this
> 
> also summaries are hard and i made this fic sound so boring with them, maybe i should stop taking myself / my work so seriously ahahahahahaha
> 
> ok so i’m doing that thing i did with the first fic where i have no idea where this story is going to go and i’m going to take it one chapter at a time please forgive me when things stop making sense :3
> 
> beta read by Dreamfang - tysm for your help <3

“Tell me you’ll never leave.” 

Sage looks not to the moonlit key in Reyna’s palm, but instead those eyes that are so sick with worry. The same worry that’s only grown more intense in the days prior. She doesn't know why it was so difficult to work up the courage to ask, “What’s wrong?”

Now that she knows, Sage finds herself having to suppress a smile.

She thinks Reyna would be the last person in the world to fret over such a tiny, little thing. But it pains Sage, as well, to know how such an insignificant concern has been gnawing at Reyna nonetheless. If she’d known from the start, she would have given her all the reassurances in the world, soothed all that needless fear as soon as she could. But now, something is stopping her. Her throat closes in on itself; her mouth has run dry. 

For she knows, all the ‘ _It’s okay’s_ and ‘ _Do not fret’s_ in the world would hardly suffice. This is obviously something that has plagued Reyna for a long while, built up in sleepless nights and overwhelmed her so much, it brought her to this. And Sage knows no words to remedy that. 

So Sage places her hand over Reyna’s, politely refusing the offer of freedom. A puzzled look crosses Reyna’s face. 

“No. This is for the best, mi corazón. Don’t you see?” Reyna says, prying Sage’s hand off of her own. 

Reyna isn’t aware of how strong her grip was until she notices that whisper of a wince from the healer. Reyna’s brow became apologetic. She feels like such a fool. Even when she tries to undo all the hurt, she only ends up causing more. 

“You’re mine. But you’re not my prisoner. I can’t keep treating you like one,” Reyna says, fumbling to equip the key between her thumb and forefinger. 

She huffs, shakes her head. And now it is conflict Sage sees in those eyes. Like Reyna is trying to convince even herself of what she is saying.

“Is everything alright, Reyna?” Sage manages, knowing full well that the answer is a resounding no. 

“You do it. Free yourself, little dove,” Reyna chokes, looking away. 

She thrusts her hand towards Sage, letting the key dangle from her fingers. 

_Weak,_ Reyna thinks to herself. She was the one who’d put Sage in her chains - she should be the one removing them. But she’s afraid. It feels too much like letting go. How many times had she loosened her grip on what she thought was already hers, only to have it slip away?

She never wants to be without her. Not again. 

But she knows this is something she absolutely must do, even if by proxy, because she cannot go on with this guilt eating away at her from the inside out. 

Sage, on the other hand, can’t figure out why this affects Reyna so much. The Empress rarely disclosed her feelings, especially if she believes them an embarrassment or a sign of weakness. All Sage knew is that this is hurting Reyna and that she must try her hardest to put an end to that pain. 

Sage accepts the key. The cold piece of metal seems like a greater weight in her palm than the chains that bind her wrists. She’s reluctant to do this, despite how badly she wants to see the woman before her smile once again. The chains she bears; Sage doesn’t know if she wants them gone. She’s begun to feel that she deserves them for that nefarious attempt, months ago, to escape. 

To leave Reyna all alone. 

The time had long since past when Sage last thought of her chains as a burden. 

As for the key, she wishes it were nothing more than a sweet reminder of that night on the balcony. Only now does she realize how much anxiety it’s been causing Reyna. 

“Please. I need you to say it,” Reyna says, cutting off Sage’s thoughts. 

It takes a while to register what exactly Reyna is referring to. But when it does click, Sage brings her hands to Reyna’s face, letting the key plop onto the blankets below.

“Reyna,”

The Empress doesn’t look Sage in the eye. 

“What are you so afraid of?”

Reyna bunches up the blankets in her fists. She’s blind, groping around in the darkness of her mind, desperately hoping her hands will latch onto some sort of answer. But she finds nothing. The cool of Sage’s fingers on her cheeks is drawing her out of any meaningful concentration. She softens, exhaling and letting her mind blank. 

“Do you truly believe I will ever leave you?”

Reyna hears ‘ _leave you’_ and a searing chill runs down the length of her spine. She shivers. Sage must have been able to feel it, for she looks briefly surprised. But she quickly returns to a concerned calm - a tiny bit offended, actually. As though it hurts her to see that Reyna genuinely fears she would ever do such a horrible thing. 

And that in itself is some consolation. 

“I know, it’s ridiculous,” Reyna begins. “But…” 

Before she’s able to find the right words, Sage takes Reyna’s hands from off the blankets, and clasps them together. She brings them to her lips. From Reyna’s perspective, it almost looks as though Sage is kissing them.

“You have nothing to worry about. Nothing,” Sage whispers. 

Then, she does kiss Reyna’s hands. 

The simple gesture is enough to vanquish all the Empress’ fears and it suddenly, strangely seems that they were never anything more than a distant memory. Reyna has to wonder what she was ever really worried about in the first place. 

It’s so liberating, she nearly laughs. But what’s more - and she can’t, for the life of her, explain why - is that she’s brought to the verge of tears. Sage doesn’t expect it when she pulls her into a tight embrace. She’s done this before to prevent the wetness in her eyes from being seen, and she’s starting to feel as though Sage suspects it. 

_Don’t start crying now, cabrona,_ Reyna tells herself. 

Sage suspects nothing, however - she’s only pleased to know she's brought comfort to her love. She returns the hug, and decides to tell her outright:

“I will be yours. Forever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> idk which of my readers follow my twitter (@worstsageever btw wink wink) but i’m sorry i said the first chapter was going to be 3000 words… i thought it flowed much better if i split it into two chapters, so expect that second one to be coming very soon!!! i just wanna work out a few more things
> 
> love you *mua*


	2. My light when it's dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sage needs sleep. Reyna doesn't.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter title is taken from The Weeknd’s ‘Too Late’
> 
> I decided to make use of the headcanon that Reyna doesn’t need to sleep, thanks to her powers as a Radiant. Technically, she can sleep (she can get knocked unconscious, use sleep medication, etc.), but it’s very difficult for her to fall asleep naturally, and even when she does, she usually wakes up shortly after. 
> 
> beta read by Dreamfang - tysm for your help <3

“Goodnight Reyna.”

“Goodnight, little dove.”

She knows the smile that traces her lips will never fade, so long as she keeps her eyes on the face of the girl before her. The girl whose beautiful stillness brings Reyna a peace that she has never known otherwise and has no point of comparison for. 

Their hands intertwine. Reyna doesn’t want to let go; doesn’t want to risk disturbing her angel until she’s sure she’s asleep for good. Because she knows the poor thing gets cold at night and it comforts her to have the warmth of the Empress’ hand in hers. 

And because it is the last of her touch that Reyna will have for the next eight hours or so.

_ Sage. _

Her name runs through Reyna’s mind, over and over until she feels it on her tongue. Brushing just underneath her upper teeth and she’s nearly saying it aloud. She stops herself. Too often has she roused Sage from her much-needed rest, selfishly seeking a cure for her loneliness.

She knows she must learn to do without the monk, if only for these few late hours.

It’s just unfortunate the night lasts longer than Reyna ever remembered. Nights like these used to pass so easily under the once enjoyable solitude. Now, her days with Sage seem to be not but half as long as the quiet of the night, when she is left alone at the mercy of her thoughts. 

So, to stave off the demons for just a little longer, she takes as much comfort as she can in the sight of her lover as Sage drifts off to sleep. She watches the steady rise and fall of her dove's chest, and the rhythm of her own breath is soon matching that of Sage’s. The healer carries such a serenity with her at all times, but it is even greater when she lays so still in sleep. 

Reyna’s heart slows. Like she might fall asleep alongside Sage, though Reyna has learned that it will never be so. What she would give to share in her dreams… 

When she knows Sage is asleep for certain - from the shift in the depth of her breathing - Reyna painstakingly removes each of her fingers from Sage’s softened grasp, one by one. Her hand slips out and away underneath the blankets, and the rest of her follows. She has learned to make not a single sound, to rustle none of the blankets so that Sage’s slumber is not broken. 

And the whole time, her gaze remains on Sage’s face.

She's gazed upon it thousands of times by now and will look a million more in spite of the fact that it will be with her forever when she closes her eyes. 

She has perfectly memorized those supple yet subtle lips, those healthy round cheeks, the way the corners of her eyes lift when she smiles, the incredibly faint but undeniably present smattering of freckles across her nose. 

All of it - Every detail present, even with closed eyes. And somehow Sage is even more beautiful when Reyna opens them. 

Reyna wishes, in vain, to watch her angel sleep the whole night through. The one time she tried, she made it two hours in before Sage stirred, woke briefly, and startled at the sight of the Empress looming over her. 

Strange that someone as unflappable as Sage is prone to such fitful sleep. Even if she wasn’t, Reyna doesn’t want to unsettle the girl with the knowledge that she’d be standing by her bedside for the entirety of the night. 

_ “Please, Reyna. There are certainly better ways to spend your time.” _

_ “I want to be with you.” _

_ “I… I appreciate that. Truly,” she says, hiding her face. “But do I not make for poor company when I am asleep?” _

_ “Not at all.” _

Reyna smiles wryly at the memory. Sage was too polite to say it, but the message was clear. She does not want to be watched all night long. 

So Reyna leaves the room, taking the longest possible route to the door. Her steps are slow, and she tells herself it’s to make as little noise as possible and not because it means she can keep her eyes on the sleeping beauty in her bed for a few more moments. 

When she reaches the doorway, she glances back, sighs, turns to exit, then glances back again. This time her gaze lingers, before she finally steps out and closes the door behind her. 

It’s going to be a long night.

*******

When Sage wakes, she is immediately conscious of two facts: it's much too early in the night to be awake, and that she won’t be able to return to sleep, no matter how hard she tries. 

It’s been about a week since she’s lost the chains around her wrists. It still feels as though she’s too light when she moves, what with the metal that no longer weighs her down. She just can’t get used to the feeling, so jarring that it keeps her more awake and alert than she’d like. 

She blinks the remaining grogginess out of her eyes, swings her legs out from under the covers and off the bed and heads for the door. 

Even at the darkest point in the night and even when the moonlight is obscured by the clouds, the stars are generous in illuminating Reyna’s villa via its abundance of windows and skylights. Sage’s eyes only need a moment to accommodate the dim lighting while she makes her way through the beautifully furnished halls. 

She makes it to the kitchen, and considers either getting a glass of water, reading a book, or sitting out on the balcony. Something to still her mind and bring herself to the drowsiness she needs in order to sleep. But she knows that none of those options address the roots of her current agitation.

What - or whom, rather - she really needs is probably upstairs in the study, equally as restless as herself. 

Sage ascends the spiral staircase, a smile on her lips when she sees the glass doors before her. But she takes a left instead, towards the study where she’s able to make out the shape of a very familiar figure sitting in the dark, back turned to her. She slows her footsteps and waits in the doorway.

Reyna sits at her ornate chestnut desk, surrounded by floor-to-ceiling shelving filled with antique trinkets, gorgeous pottery and most of all, books. A couple hundred at the very least. Sage has never taken Reyna for a reader and was curious about it the first time she entered the study. 

It turned out that Sage was right, the books used to belong to Reyna’s mother. The Empress claims that she rarely ever picks them up to read, but never seems keen on speaking further on the topic. Sage doesn't prod further.

But the sight before her proves to be an exception to Reyna’s claim. She’s slouched over, her face propped up with one hand. Her other is absentmindedly flipping pages. The room is not totally dark thanks to the skylight above, but it’s much too dim for any ordinary person to read in. Reyna’s radiance allows her to see much more easily in the dark, however, as Sage has learned. 

She’s also learned of the vampire’s hyper-awareness of her surroundings. Sage feels she should savour this moment. It’s rare that she gets to observe Reyna alone in her natural habitat like this. Because even though Sage is totally still and silent, Reyna should, at any moment… 

“Hm?”

Reyna perks up before she even turns around to see Sage. But when she does, her eyes widen in something akin to relief. 

“You’re awake,” Reyna says. She intends it to sound like a passive observation, but Sage is easily able to read through to that barely-contained excitement. 

Sage nods. “The wind was too noisy,” she says, though she knows the explanation is not important to Reyna. Just the fact that she’s here with her is all that matters. 

“Mm. This stupid storm,” Reyna tries to grumble, not looking the least bit unhappy. “At least it has quieted down by now. You should go… try and get more sleep,” she continues, but the clear disheartenment in her tone, betrays her suggestion.

“I will, later. My mind is too active right now. I must calm myself first,” Sage says. 

She flicks on the light, enveloping the room and Reyna in a warm white glow. Then she comes to sit on Reyna’s lap and at this point neither of them can hide their smiles.

“Oh? And just how are you thinking of doing that?” Reyna asks, lechery creeping into her slight squint as she slides her arms around the small of Sage’s back. 

“Not in any way that  _ you _ are thinking about,” Sage quips back, pushing her index finger into the woman’s forehead. 

“What a shame,” Reyna pouts. 

She’s way too old to be jutting out her lower lip like this, but Sage finds it cute anyways. Perhaps it should worry her that Reyna’s happiness is so dependent on whether the healer is present or absent. But the vampire’s playful demeanour is so infectious that she’s hard-pressed to complain.

“What are you reading?” Sage asks, pointing to the open book that Reyna has abandoned, pages curled against the table. She tries not to grimace at such improper treatment when she reaches over to retrieve the abused item. 

“I wasn’t, really. It’s much too dull to capture my attention.”

“ _ The Phantom of the Opera? _ But this is a wonderful novel. You do not find it captivating?” Sage asks, flipping through the book to inspect the pages for damage, keeping her thumb still as a bookmark for the original page it was opened to. 

“The characters are so uninteresting. There’s no life in them. Their souls must have no more flavour than cornstarch,” Reyna says, letting out a dry laugh. 

“Well, if you had paid attention, you might have appreciated what a similar fate Christine and I have shared,” Sage teases. 

It gives her pause, to think that they’ve reached a point where Sage can feel free to tease the Empress - as opposed to the (very common) reverse. 

“How can I focus on such tedium when it’s you that’s on my mind?” Reyna asks, pulling Sage in closer. 

The monk doesn’t understand how she still gets so flustered in situations like this when she’s endured Reyna’s teasing and worse so many times before.

“Ah, but you mean to say she was taken by the Phantom, just as I’ve taken you for myself,” she continues. 

Sage is glad she isn’t given the chance to respond to the prior (and probably hypothetical) question. Though there’s just a tinge of pain in Reyna’s expression, as though this is something she doesn't want to be reminded of. Surely, she can’t be  _ ashamed _ of how their relationship began, given what it’s blossomed into now?

“But you insult me, cariño. I’m nothing like that hideous rat.”

And just like that, it’s gone, replaced by that glowing smile once more. Sage can’t help but return it. 

“The whole point is that you must not judge him for his appearance, Reyna, but rather his actions,” Sage lectures. 

“True. He gets what he wants, and I like that about him.”

“That is not quite what I meant…” Sage mutters, but decides against pushing the issue further.

Reyna takes the book from Sage’s hands and places it back down on the table - again, the wrong way. Sage reaches over to fix it but Reyna stops her, using one hand to turn her head so they face each other. 

“What’s troubling you, hermosa?”

“...How do you know?” Sage asks.

“I just know. And I know it wasn’t the wind keeping you up.”

For a moment, Sage is speechless. She’s unsure whether she wants a conversation about this right now. But there’s no deceiving Reyna. And besides, what’s the harm in opening up?

“You are right,” Sage admits, but doesn’t yet know what else to say beyond this. 

Reyna hums softly, knowingly, inviting Sage to say more.

“I see how lonely you get in the night, and… I could not stop thinking about it. I never wish you to suffer like this,” Sage says, her eyes downcast. 

Reyna stills, her muscles growing stiff. She does not allow anyone to pity her like this. Ever. Not that most people would have any reason to.

But for Sage, she’ll make an exception. She maintains her soft, if not sad, smile. 

“You worry too much. It’s not so much as a burden as you think it is. I have you all to myself for the entire day. A little time without you won’t hurt me,” Reyna lied. 

If given the choice, she will always force herself to be strong.  _ Be strong, _ just to protect Sage from even the most minor of harms.

All the same, the healer doesn’t appear much convinced. She’s looking now into Reyna’s eyes. Perhaps she’s searching for some evidence of hurt (it’s adorable, her concern). Reyna likes to think she does a good job of masking it, though the contrary must be true if they were led to this conversation. 

“Well, if I am going to be awake, why not use this time to keep you company?”

“I’d love that,” Reyna responds without hesitation. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> smh reyna can you let sage breathe for one second
> 
> gl in the future chapters <3


End file.
